HVAC system for truck sleepers
A vehicle comprises an interior area including a driver compartment and a sleeper compartment. The vehicle includes a first apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the driver compartment. The vehicle further includes a second apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the sleeper compartment.
1. A vehicle comprising:
an interior area including a driver compartment and a sleeper compartment;
a first apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the driver compartment the first apparatus including a first apparatus fan;
a ground-engaging wheel;
a power source adapted to power the first apparatus and the ground-engaging wheel when the power source is operating;
a second apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the sleeper compartment, the second apparatus including a first heat transfer device, a second heat transfer device and a second apparatus fan adapted to facilitate air flow with respect to the first and second heat transfer devices to provide conditioned air at least in the sleeper compartment, wherein the first and second heat transfer devices are either both adapted to heat or both adapted to cool the sleeper compartment; and
a control mechanism adapted to permit operation of the second heat transfer device and prevent operation of the first heat transfer device when the power source is operating and adapted to permit operation of the first heat transfer device and prevent operation of the second heat transfer device when the power source is not operating.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a first air cooling unit including a compressor, a condenser coil, a condenser fan, and an evaporator coil, wherein the second apparatus comprises a second air cooling unit including an auxiliary compressor, an auxiliary condenser coil, and an auxiliary condenser fan, and wherein the first heat transfer device comprises a first auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the auxiliary condenser coil and the auxiliary compressor and the second heat transfer device comprises a second auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the condenser coil of the first apparatus and the compressor of the first apparatus.
3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the auxiliary condenser fan comprises a direct current axial fan.
4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the second apparatus includes an exterior assembly mounted to a location outside the interior area, the exterior assembly comprising the auxiliary condenser coil and the auxiliary condenser fan, the second apparatus further including an interior assembly operably connected with the exterior assembly and mounted within the interior area, the interior assembly comprising the first and second auxiliary evaporator coils, the auxiliary compressor and the second apparatus fan.
5. The vehicle of claim 4 , further comprising at least one low loss quick connect refrigerant line operably connecting the interior assembly and the exterior assembly.
6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the interior assembly and the exterior assembly each comprise at least one low loss quick connect port.
7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a first heater unit including a heat exchanger operably connected to a coolant circuit of the power source and a fluid pump adapted to circulate fluid through the heat exchanger, wherein the second apparatus comprises a second heater unit, wherein the first heat transfer device comprises an electrical heating element and the second heat transfer device comprises another heat exchanger operably connected to the coolant circuit of the power source.
8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the first apparatus further comprises a first air cooling unit including a compressor, a condenser coil, a condenser fan, and an evaporator coil, wherein the second apparatus further comprises a second air cooling unit including an auxiliary compressor, an auxiliary condenser coil, an auxiliary condenser fan, a first auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the auxiliary condenser coil and the auxiliary compressor and a second auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the condenser coil of the first apparatus and the compressor of the first apparatus, wherein the control mechanism is further adapted to permit operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil and prevent operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil when the power source is operating and adapted to permit operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil and prevent operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil when the power source is not operating.
9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second apparatus is adapted to operate entirely on an AC power supply and wherein the second apparatus is further adapted to operate entirely on a DC power supply.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 , comprising a truck.
11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the truck includes a driver cab and a sleeper cab connected to the driver cab.
12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the driver cab comprises the driver compartment and the sleeper cab comprises the sleeper compartment.
13. A vehicle comprising:
an interior area including a driver compartment and a sleeper compartment;
a first apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the driver compartment;
a ground-engaging wheel;
a power source adapted to power the first apparatus and the ground-engaging wheel when the power source is operating;
a second apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the sleeper compartment, wherein the second apparatus is adapted to operate entirely on an AC power supply and wherein the second apparatus is further adapted to operate entirely on a DC power supply, wherein the first apparatus comprises a first air cooling unit including a compressor, a condenser coil, a condenser fan, and an evaporator coil, wherein the second apparatus comprises a second air cooling unit including an auxiliary compressor, an auxiliary condenser coil, and an auxiliary condenser fan, a first auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the auxiliary condenser coil and the auxiliary compressor and a second auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the condenser coil of the first apparatus and the compressor of the first apparatus.
14. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a control mechanism adapted to permit operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil and prevent operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil when the power source is operating and adapted to permit operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil and prevent operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil when the power source is not operating.
15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first apparatus comprises a first heater unit including a heat exchanger operably connected to a coolant circuit of the power source, and wherein the second apparatus comprises a second heater unit comprising an electrical heating element and another heat exchanger operably connected to the coolant circuit of the power source.
16. The vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising a control mechanism adapted to permit operation of the heat exchanger of the second apparatus and prevent operation of the electrical heating element when the power source is operating and adapted to permit operation of the electrical heating element and prevent operation of the heat exchanger of the second apparatus when the power source is not operating.
17. The vehicle of claim 13 , comprising a truck with a driver cab including the driver compartment and a sleeper cab comprising the sleeper compartment.
18. A vehicle comprising:
an interior area including a driver compartment and a sleeper compartment;
a first apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the driver compartment, the first apparatus comprising a first heater unit including a heat exchanger and a fluid pump adapted to circulate fluid through the heat exchanger, the first apparatus further including a first air cooling unit including a compressor, a condenser coil, a condenser fan, and an evaporator coil, the first apparatus further comprising a first apparatus fan adapted to facilitate air flow with respect to the heat exchanger and the evaporator coil;
a ground-engaging wheel;
a power source adapted to power the fluid pump, the compressor, the condenser fan, the first apparatus fan and the ground-engaging wheel when the power source is operating, the power source including a fluid coolant circuit in fluid communication with the heat exchanger; and
a second apparatus adapted to provide occupant comfort air at least in the sleeper compartment, the second apparatus comprising a second heater unit comprising an electrical heating element and another heat exchanger operably connected to the fluid coolant circuit of the power source, the second apparatus further comprising a second air cooling unit including an auxiliary compressor, an auxiliary condenser coil, an auxiliary condenser fan, a first auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the auxiliary condenser coil and the auxiliary compressor, and a second auxiliary evaporator coil operably connected between the condenser coil of the first apparatus and the compressor of the first apparatus, the second apparatus further including a second apparatus fan adapted to facilitate air flow with respect to the electrical heating element, the heat exchanger of the second apparatus, the first auxiliary evaporator coil and the second auxiliary evaporator coil,
wherein the second apparatus fan, the electrical heating element, the auxiliary compressor and the auxiliary condenser fan are adapted to operate entirely on an AC power supply and also adapted to operate entirely on a DC power supply.
19. The vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising a control mechanism adapted to permit operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil and the heat exchanger of the second apparatus and prevent operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil and the electrical heating element when the power source is operating; and wherein the control mechanism is further adapted to permit operation of the first auxiliary evaporator coil and the electrical heating element and prevent operation of the second auxiliary evaporator coil and the heat exchanger of the second apparatus when the power source is not operating.